Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Nuclear
LLC reports
This report is issued as part of the Health and Safety Executive's commitment to make information about inspection and regulatory activities relating to the above site available to the public. It is for distribution to members of the Devonport Local Liaison Committee and covers activities associated with the regulation of safety at Devonport Royal Dockyard and HM Naval Base.
The Site Inspector of HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate attends LLC meetings and will be happy to respond to any questions raised there by members. Any other person wishing to enquire about matters covered by this report may contact HSE's Nuclear Directorate Information Centre on 0151 951 4103.
Inspections on site were made on the following days:
8 - 10 AprilA total of 13 NII Inspectors, including one of the Deputy Chief Inspectors, visited Devonport during this quarter spending a total of 81 days on site. In addition, the Site Inspector attended the LLC meeting held on 13 June. Joint inspections were carried out with an inspector from the HSE's local Field Operations Division office in Plymouth and on another occasion with the Environment Agency inspector for the Devonport site.
Inspections are undertaken for the purposes of monitoring compliance with the conditions attached by HSE to the nuclear site licence, together with other relevant statutory provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974).
During this period, inspections have continued to be focused on activities associated with the readiness inspections of 9 Dock in anticipation of refuelling activities planned for HMS Vanguard commencing later in 2002, preparation for the defuelling of HMS Valiant, operations in 10 Dock or generally for activities across the site. Particular attention has been paid to compliance by the licensee with licence condition 21, (relating to the commissioning of plant or process which may affect safety), 23, (the requirement to have an adequate safety case and such operating rules as this calls for), 24, (the requirement to carry out safety related activities in accordance with written instructions), 26, (the control and supervision of specified activities), 27, (relating to the availability of safety mechanisms) 28, (the requirement for maintenance arrangements), 32, (minimisation of the production of radioactive wastes), 36, (the control of organisational change). The findings were generally considered adequate but areas for improvement were identified which were communicated to the licensee for action.
Compliance with the Ionising Radiations Regulations, with respect to work being carried out within the 9 Dock area was inspected. Whilst this was considered to be generally adequate, a number of suggestions for improvements were made which the licensee is considering.
Following three radiography events that have occurred over recent months, NII carried out a detailed investigation. The conclusions reached were that adequate improvements had been put in place by the licensee and that enforcement action at this stage was not warranted.
Much of NII's effort at Devonport continues to be spent on the inspection and assessment of the following major projects:
The LLC was attended on 13 June.
There were no non-routine matters dealt with during the period.
As part of its regulation under the nuclear site licence NII issues formal regulatory documents, which include Consents, Approvals, Acknowledgements, Specifications and Notifications.
During this quarter NII:
Following a joint inspection of 15 Dock in conjunction with one of HSE's Field Operation Division, (FOD), inspectors, an Improvement Notice was issued by FOD regarding breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act in relation to safe access and egress from the workplace and the safety of working areas. Significant improvements have already been made but Devonport Royal Dockyard Limited is formally required to have put in place measures to prevent a recurrence by 30 November 2002.
Inspections on site were made on the following days:
18 AprilFour NII inspectors visited HM Naval Base during this quarter spending a total of three days on the base. This included a joint inspection with the Environment Agency Inspector with responsibility for the Devonport site.
MoD activities, at HM Naval Base and Devonport Royal Dockyard, are inspected under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974), the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations, (REPPIR), and the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999.
No specific inspections relating to this topic were carried out during the period but discussions took place regarding the controls in place for potentially contaminated scrap items.
MoD will be sharing the new DACC and a demonstration emergency exercise in relation to this was witnessed on 30 May. Use of the facility was satisfactorily demonstrated.
The LLC was attended by the Site Inspector on 13 June.
None during the quarter.
No formal enforcement activities were carried out by HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate during the period covered by this report.
Published on the HSE web site 13 September 2002